Online Class: Geology 101

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
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13Lessons
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17Exams &
Assignments -
2,610Students
have taken this course -
8Hours
average time -
0.8CEUs
Course Description
Geology is the study of the world around us and the way it was formed. The study expands beyond the earth and includes the building blocks of the whole universe. Without the study of geology, it would have been very difficult to build the modern world around us. For one thing, it would have been impossible to locate building materials for our roads, houses, and office buildings. Without ready access to metals like gold, we would never have been able to make the wide range of electrical devices like cell phones and digital cameras that we all depend on.
An understanding of geology and the Earth's systems has become critical in a wide range of fields. It's not just miners, oil riggers and college professors who study the story of the rocks: it is also civil engineers, architects, urban planners, government officials, and investors.
In this course, you will learn about: Geology History; Fossils and Earth History--Geologic Time; Fossils and Earth History--The Eons and Eras; Rock types; Geomagnetism; Plate Tectonics; Recycling and Renewal; Erosion; The Rock Cycle; Rocks and Minerals; Gemstones and Mining.
Course Motivation
Geology is all about the earth. It is the study of the world around us and the way it was formed. In the broader scope of things, the study expands beyond the earth and includes the building blocks of the whole universe. It is the study of rocks, minerals, volcanoes, tsunamis, landslides, asteroids, ancient history, the future ahead of us, and the ground we are standing on today. Without the study of geology, it would have been very difficult to build the modern world around us. For one thing, it would have been nearly impossible to locate building materials for our roads, houses, and office buildings. Without ready access to metals like gold, we would never have been able to make the wide range of electrical devices like cell phones and digital cameras that we all depend on today.
But the study of geology is about more than just identifying rocks or finding mineral deposits. It is the study of how all of Earth's systems work together so that we can work with nature instead of against it, and we can have a better grasp of the future implications of our actions on the world around us.
What does a geologist do?
How does someone train to be a geologist?
People who are interested in becoming professional geologists usually take a lot of courses in the earth sciences, math, and computers. Because geology touches so many other subjects, coursework in all the sciences is helpful. Geologists must at least earn a Bachelor's degree, but for the specialized fields, they usually continue on to do graduate work. Even for people who don't want to be professional geologists, it is critical in any field to understand how the Earth's systems all work together. For example, if you want to build a building, you have to understand what kind of earth it's going to be sitting on. If your building will be located near the ocean, you will have to build the foundation a certain way so that water doesn't leak in during every high tide. If you are building it along a fault line, you will have to make sure it can withstand moderate earthquakes, and that it isn't built on a spot likely to collapse in a landslide.
Even if you do something you think is totally unrelated to geology, the forces of the Earth impact your life every day, and you impact the Earth, as well. Understanding, for example, that everything you rinse down your sink, flush down a toilet, or pour into the grass will eventually return to the groundwater and end up in the glass you pour from the kitchen sink, might make you think differently about the next sip of water you drink. Every day, politicians and people on the news talk about saving the environment and protecting the ozone layer. They talk about global warming and climate change, they want to get you to vote for them based on their statements about Earth Science. In order to make an informed decision, it is important for everyone to understand what a complex and powerful set of systems make up our Earth, and to understand that there are still a huge number of unanswered questions about how all the pieces work together.
This course will not be able to answer all of those questions, since the top researchers in the world are still trying to answer them themselves, but it will help you get a basic understanding of the many forces at work on the Earth. If there is one constant on this planet, it is change.
This course will also offer some suggestions for further research as you move along, just in case a particular topic really grabs your interest.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1 : Introduction
Lesson 1 Video
Lesson discussions: Where in the World?; Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Assessment: Lesson 1 : Introduction
Lesson 2 : Geology History
Lesson 2 Video
Assessment: Lesson 2 : Geology History
Lesson 3 : Fossils and Earth History--Geologic Time
Lesson 3 Video
Lesson discussions: Generating Interest
Complete: Lesson 3 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 3 Exam
Lesson 4 : Fossils and Earth History--The Eons and Eras
Lesson 4 Video
Assessment: Lesson 4 Exam
Lesson 5 : Rock Types
Lesson 5 Video
Assessment: Lesson 5 : Rock types
Lesson 6 : Geomagnetism
Lesson 6 Video
Assessment: Lesson 6 : Geomagnetism
Lesson 7 : Plate Tectonics
Lesson 7 Video
Assessment: Lesson 7 : Plate Tectonics
Lesson 8 : Recycling and Renewal
Lesson 8 Video
Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 8 : Recycling and Renewal
Lesson 9 : Erosion
Lesson 9 Video
Assessment: Lesson 9 : Erosion
Lesson 10 : Rock, Mineral, and Rock Cycle
Lesson 10 Video
Assessment: Lesson 10 : Rock, Mineral, and Rock Cycle
Lesson 11 : Rocks and Minerals
Lesson 11 Video
Assessment: Lesson 11 : Rocks and Minerals
Lesson 12 : Gemstones and Mining
Lesson 12 Video
Complete: Lesson 12 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 12 : Gemstones and Mining
Lesson 13 : Conclusion
Lesson 13 Video
Lesson discussions: And the Winner Is...; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
Assessment: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Summarize the history of geology.
- Describe fossils and earth history--geologic time.
- Describe fossils and earth history--the eons and eras.
- Define rock types.
- Describe geomagnetism.
- Summarize plate tectonics.
- Describe recycling and renewal processes.
- Describe erosion.
- Summarize rocks, minerals, and the rock cycle.
- Describe gemstones and mining.
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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Time to complete | 6 months |
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Time to complete | 6 months |
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Time to complete | 12 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
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Includes CEUs |
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Self-paced |
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Instructor support |
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Time to complete | 24 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
Student Testimonials
- "It was a very interesting course, I learned a lot and enjoyed it. The material was presented in an easy to understand way. The course tutor marked the assessments very quickly which provided encouraging feedback as I progressed through the course. There were a lot of additional reference material links which was an added bonus." -- Patricia C.
- "I enjoyed this course. I thought it was hard, but interesting and I learned quite a bit of information." -- Erin F.
- "April was so helpful and great. I really liked her a lot would love to have her again as an instructor in the future if I take additional science courses." -- Piero G.
- "Good course - the instructor was prompt in grading assignments and tests, and in answering questions. Thanks for the experience!" -- Anne C.
- "The instructor was very fair and encouraging. When I had trouble in one lesson, she compared my results from previous lessons and determined I could do better, and allowed me to review the material and resubmit an exam." -- Timothy M.
- "instructor was very responive and graded assignments quickly." -- Nancy Y.
- "The instructor is very smart, available, and kind." -- Heaven B.
- "Very nice course." -- marios xenofon I.
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